10 Powerful Thyme Herb Benefits for Your Health

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There are few things a sprig of thyme won’t make immensely better. This versatile herb blends well with a myriad of flavors and is packed full of health-promoting compounds, vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients.

Thyme belongs to the genus Thymus which is part of the mint family and closely related to oregano — another powerful herb. Native to the Southern Mediterranean regions, this perennial herb is now grown around the world for its culinary and therapeutic uses. While this herb will liven up your cooking, thyme may also help expel harmful organisms from your body and support your mental and physical health.

What Is Thyme?

Thyme is an evergreen herb that blooms with small white, pink, and purple flowers. They hybridize easily and grow quickly in sunny areas with well-drained soil. Thanks to its ease of cultivation and growth, there are over 300 varieties of thyme in existence today. Each variety has unique flavors and applications for cooking, oils, medicines, or decoration. Common thyme (T. vulgaris) and lemon thyme (T. citriodorus) are used for cooking, while Spanish thyme (T. zygis) and creeping thyme (T. serpyllum) are popular in many herbal supplements.[1]

History of Thyme

People’s love and admiration for thyme is nothing new. The recorded history of thyme extends back to ancient Egypt and Rome. Egyptians used thyme as part of their mummification process and Romans ate it before meals and gave it to soldiers as a sign of courage and admiration. In fact, the Latin word for thyme, thymus, means courage and strength. This tradition of giving thyme to soldiers carried on through the middle ages when people in England started using thyme as a cooking spice.[2]

Nutrients in Thyme

Thyme has remained influential over the years in part because of its health benefits, all of which are owed to its diverse profile of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutritional compounds. Thyme is an excellent source of fiber, calcium, iron, manganese, and vitamins A, B6, and C. There are also robust phenols inside the plant — thymol, eugenol, and carvacrol.

Here is the nutritional breakdown of one tablespoon of fresh thyme.[3]

Top 10 Health Benefits of Thyme

Here is a list of impressive health benefits that have been corroborated by recent studies and research.

1. Resists Harmful Organisms

Thyme contains potent chemical compounds like thymol and carvacrol which are resistant to harmful organisms.[4] Studies have found that thyme promotes fungal balance.[5] Some studies even show compounds found in thyme and oregano oil are helpful as part of a comprehensive strategy for dealing with some types of organisms that are particularly aggressive.

3. Promotes Heart Health

Blood pressure and cholesterol both play a significant role in heart health. Thyme contains nutrients that support normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels.[9]

4. Mood Booster

Thyme may help maintain mental wellness. Daily consumption of thyme and oregano oil can influence neurotransmitters and boost your mood. One compound found in thyme oil, carvacrol, when consumed over a seven-day period, positively affected dopamine and serotonin status.[10]

5. Encourages Healthy-looking Skin

For years, nurses wrapped thyme into bandages to help wounds heal. Recent studies confirm that thyme does have the ability to support skin health.[11] One study even noted thyme might contribute to reducing the appearance of wrinkles.[12]

6. Natural Bug Repellent

Thyme is a favorite herb to grow at home. Not only is it convenient for cooking, but it may help keep your home bug free. Thyme acts as a natural repellent for mosquitoes and other pests.[13]

7. Powerful Antioxidant

Thyme is a great source of antioxidants such as apigenin, luteolin, saponins, and tannins.[14] These antioxidant compounds help neutralize free radicals before they can cause harm and oxidative stress.[15] Thyme and iron are often taken together to help keep a better balance and reduce the chances of oxidative stress from occurring.[16]

8. Soothes Occasional Coughs and Sore Throats

For years, thyme has been used to support seasonal wellness. Many studies have validated this use, showing thyme's ability to help your body get over an occasional cough and sore throat.[17]

9. Promotes Oral Health

Thyme, along with other herbs, can support good oral health.[18] Thyme essential oils can protect against harmful organisms that target the mouth, and help prevent bad breath.[19, 20]

10. Food Safety and Preservation

While thyme is a well-liked addition to many dishes, it can be used for more than taste. Thyme's resistance to harmful organisms is something that's been observed and harnessed by large-scale food producers. Thyme essential oil is an effective, natural way to preserve food and increase shelf life. [21, 22]

Thyme Side Effects

Thyme has no documented side effects. The primary concern with using fresh thyme or thyme essential oils is the possibility of having an allergic reaction. Beyond any known allergies, thyme is considered safe and gentle to eat or apply topically.

Adding Thyme to Your Diet

You can grow thyme at home or buy it fresh at most grocery stores and farmer’s markets. Fresh thyme is perfect for making tinctures, teas, or adding to food dishes. Dried thyme is also found in any spice aisle and is an excellent way to keep the herb in your home at all times. Thyme essential oils are also a great way to access the benefits of thyme quickly and easily. Not all essential oils are food grade, but thyme essential oils can be used in a diffuser or applied topically.

You can also take thyme therapeutically to reap its many health benefits. While thyme is great on its own, its nutritional profile and unique properties make it a worthwhile addition to some supplement formulas. Global Healing Center uses the highest quality organic thyme in our revolutionary iron supplement, Iron Fuzion™. Thyme extracts in Iron Fuzion provide nutrients that can help your body absorb and use iron.

How do you use thyme? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts with us.

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Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your treating doctor. Global Healing Center does not dispense medical advice, prescribe, or diagnose illness. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Global Healing Center are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician. This Web site contains links to Web sites operated by other parties. Such links are provided for your convenience and reference only. We are not responsible for the content or products of any linked site or any link contained in a linked site. Global Healing Center does not adopt any medical claims which may have been made in 3rd party references. Where Global Healing Center has control over the posting or other communications of such claims to the public, Global Healing Center will make its best effort to remove such claims.